Key container



April 3, 1951 G. E. GROSS 2,547,524

KEY CONTAINER Filed April 9, 1947 Patented Apr. 3, `1951 UNITEDSTATESrPATENT OFFICE KEY CONTAINER,

George E. Gross, Chicago, Ill. Application April 9, 1947, Serial No.740,389 (ci. 741-456) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a key container, and more particularly to akey kcontainer of especially simple construction from which keys are`extruded and retracted by simple manipulation of a iinger or thumb ofone hand, preferably in conjunction with a spring.

Heretofore there has not been a key container on the market which hascombined the advantages oI" spring operation with such simpleconstruction that extremely low cost mass produotion is possible.

In accordance with my present invention, I provide a key containercomprising a pair of identical key housing portions, each housingportion having ya central longitudinal slot therein. A pair of studshaving heads or buttons without the housing and Shanks extending throughthe slots engage the holes in the key handles for manipulation thereof.Each housing portion preferably has a spring associated therewith foracting with and against the stud and only a single key therein.

The keys serve to hold each other in engagement with their respectivestuds so that the keys are freely removable upon separating the housingportions. At the same time, each key is individually and selectivelyextrudable from the housing for rapid and sure use.

4 It is therefore an important object of the present invention toprovide a key container which represents the ultimatein a structurecombining extreme simplicity and durability with facile and expeditiouskey manipulation. A, Itis a further important object of this inventionto provide a key ,container which combines simple construction withsimple rapid key removal and replacement.

ItY is a still further object of the invention to provide a keycontainer which permits individual and selective extrusion andretraction of the keys for` swift and sure use thereof.

Other and further objects of Ythis invention will be apparent from thedisclosures inT the specication and accompanying drawings.

'1, On the drawings: i Figure 1 is a perspective view of a key containerembodying the principles of my present invention;

Figure 2 is a` plan view of the bottom housing portion of my invention;

`Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line III-IIIof Figure 1;

..Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional View taken substantially alongthe line IV-IV of Figure l with parts partially in elevation;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially alongthe line V-V ofFigure 4;

Figure 6 is a reduced plan view of the insert plate of my invention; and

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the insert plate. v fr The keycontainer or housing I9 of my invention comprises a pair of identicalhousing portions iI and I2, preferably made of a suitable plastic. Theupper and lower housing portions ii and I2 are adapted to be heldtogether by means o spring clips I3 and I4 on either side of thehousing. Each housing portion has a slot at one end thereof,together'forming an opening I5 in the housing. The opposite ends of thehousing portions II and I2 may be curved as indicated by the referencenumeral I6.

In the central portions of the upper and lower housing portions are cutlongitudinal slots I'I and i3. As seen in Figures 3 and 4, studs I9 and-2I'I are slidably disposed in these slots indicated I by referencenumerals I1 and VIt and comprise a head or button 2i without the keyhousing and a shank 22 extending through the slot into the housing wherea disk 23 is formed thereon to prevent displacement of the button 2Ifrom the slot. A stud portion 24 extends from the shank 22 and isadapted to engage a hole 25 in the handle of a key 2S. Referring toFigure 4; it will be seen that the two keys are positioned by means offlanges 2l oi larger diameter than the key hole 25 in such a way thatthe opposed studs 24 cannot project through one key hole 25 to engagethe second key in any manner. understood that each key serves to holdthe other. in engagement with its respective stud portion 24. Thus eachkey is individually extrudable from the housing I0 through the openingI5 therein for operation of a lock.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, a pair of springs 28 and29 oppose the extrusion of the keys 26 and serve to retract the sameafterv use. At one end, the springs 28 and 29 engage an intermediateshank portion 39 between the disk 23 and the flange 2l of the studs I9and 20, and are slidable relative thereto as the spring is compressed.The forward ends of springs 28 and 29 engage in an upper slot (notshown) and a slot 3i in the lower housing portion I2 (Figure 2). A ledge32 at the forward end of'each housing portion serves to support the keys26 between the adjacent springs 28 and 29 and the keys are thereforefree from'inte'rference by the spring. The springs may, for examplabemade of a music wire spring steel. V

It Will further be.

As illustrated in Figures 2 and 5, in addition to the spring clips I3and I4 for securing the housing portions together, a tapered dowel hole33 and tapered dowel pin 34 are formed on the respective side walls ofeach housing portion adjacent the open end thereof. These dowels serveto rapidly align the two housing portions and to prevent relativesliding thereof while the spring clips I3 and I4 prevent separationthereof. As best seen inFigure 2,1 the spring clips I3 and I4 engagewith inwardly inclined recesses 35 on the housing portions II and I2 sothat the spring:

clips I3 and I4 are held against sidewaysrelative displacement withrespect to the housing portions and are restrained against lateral,disengagement and will lie substantially iiush with the outer` surfacesof the housing, For' strength.

and also for ensuring that the keys willbe extruded through the openingsI5, the forwardpart in Figure 2. Bayonet portions 31 of the slot I'I :f

and'38 of the slot I8 extend' at right angles to the main slotV portionand are adapted to hold the'studs I9 or 2li-in extruded position, inwhich position it will be understood that the kkey 2S is exposed foruse.

If it is desired to employ my key case with shorter shanked keys;auxiliary" forwardly extending slots 39 and Mlmayl be provided to'accommodate either one or two smaller shanked keys.

The majority of'key's which it might be desired to use ,inV my containerare of a'substantially'uniform thicknessof nine-hundredths of an inchHowever, if keys of materially less thickness are to beused, theauxiliary insert plate 4I shown in Figures 6 :and '7 mayv be" placedwithinthe con'- tainer. For this purpose'recesses 42 and lf3V are formedin the side walls of the housing portions as indicated in Figures 2, 3and 4; each to receive one-half the thickness of the plate. Theconfiguration of theplate* 4I conforms to that of the housing portionsandisofsuch length as to terminate just short of the' dowel hole 33' andpin 34 of each housing so'as ,not to interfere therewith; The thicknessofthe plate issuchas-to vfit intheV gap'between the "opposed studyportions 24l (Figure. 3) and not interfere with' movement thereof, atthe Sametime eliminating any possibility of keys of lessthan the' usualthickness becoming disengagedy from-the studs.

When-the stud I9 orZIlis removed from'its'rev` spective bayonet portion3T or 38,I either manually, directly, or by rotative movement of thehousing while the key'is inthe'lock, the spring28 or 279' will serve torapidly retract the key into the housing. Eitherstud I9or"2'can,ofcourse, operate independentlyof-'theother so that'onlyv thekey whichis to be usedis extruded from the housing from manipulation in the lock;Even when one keyY isv projected,l the two keys cooperate to retaineachother upon their respective studs. The key containerv is shownhousing apair of identically sized keys. However, of course, thecontainer will operate effectively with diierent sized keys anddissimilarA keys therein,

4 and the adjustments set forth above of providing auxiliary slots 39and 4G and insert plate 4I may be made, if desired.

When a key is in the exposed position with its associated stud in thebayonet slot portion 31 or 38, the key is held substantially rigidly andmay be directed toward the lock merely by directing the casing at theproper angle toward the lock. The bayonet slot portion can be as nearthe main slot portion as desired so that the key may be exposed from thecasing exactly 1ongitudinally thereof, the key handle opening being ofsufficient diameter to permit movement of the stud portion 24 thereinwithout aifecting the alignment of the key. After a key has beenmanipulated in the lock, in order to retract the key it is, merelynecessary to rock the casing slightly, thereby rotating the studassociated with the key out of its bayonet slot portion and into themain slot portion, whereupon the associated spring-will sei-ve rapidlyto retract the-key. Thus no handling of the key is necessary, but merelythe manipulation of the button 2I of the stud associated with the keydesired to be used by either a thumb or nger of one hand while said handis grasping the key housing. The entire operation of extruding, lockingor unlocking, and retracting may bev readily accomplished' with but onehand and withoutvactual contact with the key to be used.

In assembling keys within the key housing, spring clips I3 and I4 arerst removed and the housing portions separatedl The two keysto beinserted may be simply alignedwith a stud of-o'nof 4| is employed, afirst-key: is placed on the upf... Vlaldly projecting portion and thesecondI key' positioned on-the second stud, also held in anupwardlyprojecting position. The plate 4I is then placed in positiononone housing portion', and that portion inverted-upon-the other, theclosed end of the inverted housing portion being engaged with the otherhousing portion rst, toprevent the key from becoming' disengaged fromit'svstudi These spring clips arevr preferably so constructed" that theywill require no effortv to be clamped on either side of thehousingportion. To accomplish this it will be notedthat the edges of therecess 35 are preferably rounded as` indicated at 44 in Figure 3. Thespring legs 45 of the spring' clips I3 and Illl preferably converge veryslightly, forexample, sim-hundredths" of an inch in three-i tenths vofan inch, so Vthat very little expansion of the leg portionsis'nec'essaryV iniasseinbling they spring clips in the' inclinedrecesses 35i Itis ap'- parent, therefore, that this method of assemblingthe keys in a key container will 'be simpler than many previous methodswhich often required considerable force inassembling.-

To separate the housing portions to remove and replace keys, it issimply necessary to remove the spring clips I3 and I4 and the keysA arefreeto be removed without further' manipulation. The springs 28 and 29are shown with'an endfportioii' 45 merely resting in a' slot 3| and withthe other end 4l engaging an intermediate shank portion 30, The springin this position would be preferably' 5.-. under a slight compressionwith the stud in its furthest rearward position so that the spring wouldtendto remain in the housing portion even though the housing portionswere separated and inverted.

Attention is called to the fact that the diameters of disk 23 and flange21 are slightly-less than the diameter of the bayonet portion 38 of eachslot. Hence during factory assembly the inner end of each stud may beinserted through such bayonet portion, after which the spring end 41engaged between flange 21 and disk 23 effectively Vprevents accidentalescape of the stud from its slot.

The key container of my invention is preferably made of a plastic andmay have incorporated therein phosphorescent material distributed Aoverthe entire container for illuminating a lock when there is otherwiseinsufficient illumination. Alternately the surfaces adjacent the openingI might be coated with a phosphorescent material or a pair of capsulesof calcium sulfide or other phosphorescent material might be so placed.

Alternately the springs, of course, may be arranged, for example, to bein greatest tension when the keys are in the retracted position, and thebayonet slots may be arranged to hold the keys in retracted positionagainst this tension. It will be appreciated that the key handle openingusually would be of sufficient size to permit lateral movement of thestuds for locking thereof in a bayonet slot, even when the key is inretracted position, without material alteration of -my key housing.Additional keys could, of

course, be carried in my key container either by increasing the lengthof the studs or by increasing the width of the container so that itmight contain another housing somewhat similar to the one shown. Thecontainer could be made square, for instance, and have a key adapted toproject from either end thereof if such were desired.

Any means well known in the art might be usedfor identifying the twohousing portions so that their associated keys could be readilyselectively employed, as for instance, by altering the conguration ofone of the buttons, or placing some sort of a'slot or groove on onesurface of one of the housing portions.

It will, of course, be understood that the details of construction maybe varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principlesof this invention, and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit thepatent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A key container comprising a housing consisting of two opposedseparable housing members and means for releasably securing themtogether, each member havingfa narrow longitudinal slot in its outerside wall and a key projection slot in one of its end edge walls, a keymanipulating stud for each member having an enlarged outer headoverlying and slidable on the side margins of said longitudinal slot, ashank of said stud extending inwardly through said slot and having guidemeans thereon engaging the inner marginal surfaces of said slot, afurther inward projection of said stud being adapted for entering thehandle aperture of a key for propelling the same, a zigzag shaped wirespring lying in a flat plane associated with each stud and having oneend anchored in said housing member adjoining said key projection slot,

the other end of said spring being operatively connected with said studunder compression and held against displacement longitudinally of thestud, and a ledge on each housing member adjoining said key projectionslot slidably engageable by the shank of a key for spacing such keysomewhat inwardly from the inner surface of the housing wall providingthereby clearance space for the movementl of said spring.

2. A key container comprising a housing consisting of two opposedseparable housing members and means for releasably securing themtogether, each member having a narrow longitudinal slot in its outerside wall and a key projection slot in one of its end edge walls, a keymanipulating stud for each member having an enlarged outer headoverlying the side margins of said longitudinal slot on the outer sideof said member, a shank on each said stud extending inwardly throughsaid slot from said head, a pair of closely spaced flanges on said studinside said housing and overlying the side margins of said longitudinalslot, a further inward projection of said stud being adapted forentering the handle aperture of a key for propelling the same, a zigzagshaped Wire spring for each stud having one end thereof .anchored in theassociated housing member adjoining said key projection, slot and havingits other end engaged with the stud under compression between saidflanges, each housing member having a laterally offset slot connectedwith its longitudinal slot near that A slot, whereby either of two keyswhen associatedy end thereof whichl adjoins said key projection inpropellable relation with said studs may be selectively projectedpartially from said housing against the compression of its associatedspring into operative position and held projected by movement of itsassociated stud into said offset slot and returned by reverse movementand held in fully retracted position within the housing by expansion ofits spring.

n 3. A key container comprising a housing consisting of two opposedseparable housing members and means for releasably securing themtogether, each member having a narrow longitudinal slot in its outerside wall and 4a key projection slot in one of its end edge Walls, a keymanipulating stud for each member having an enlarged outeryhead'overlying the side margins of said longitudinal slot on the outerside of said member, a `shank on each said stud extending inwardlythrough said slot from said head, a pair of closely spaced flanges onsaid stud inside said housing and overlying the side margins of saidlongitudinal slot, a further inward projection of said stud beingadapted for entering the handle aperture of a key for propelling thesame, a zigzag shaped wire spring for each stud having one end thereofanchored in the associated housing member adjoining said key projectionslot and having its other end engaged with the stud under compresisonbetween said flanges, each housing member having a laterally offset slotconnected with its longitudinal slot near that end thereof which adjoinssaid key projection slot, whereby either` of two keys when associated inpropellable relation with said studs may be selectively projectedpartially from said housing against the compression of its associatedspring into" operative position and held projected by movement of itsassociated stud into said offset slot and returned by reverse movementand held in fully retracted position within the housing by 7o expansionof its spring, each housing member having' inwardly extending ledgeadjoining its key projection slot forengagement with thev side of a keyshank to hold the latter spaced' in# w'aifdly slightly from' the planeof the associated spflig 4". Akey container comprising a housing con`sisting of two opposed separableV housing members-` and* means forreleasably securingY them together, each member having a narrow longiitudinall slotin` itsf outei` side wall and a key projection slot in one"of its endedge walls, a key manipulating stud for each member-5havingrf. an enlarged outer head! overlying the side margins ofv said!longtudinal'slot on the outer side of said memberfa shank on each saidstud extending inwardly throughsaid'slot'from said'headya pair ofclosely spaeedanges on said stud insidey said housing and' overlying theside margins of said longitudinal:- slot,v a further inwardprojection'of said stud b'eingadapted for entering the handle apertureof a key for propelling the same, a zigzag. shaped Wire spring for eachstud'having one. end thereof anchored in the-associated house ing?-member adjoining said key projection slot andl having itsl other endengaged'with the stud under compression between said flanges; eachhousing member having a laterally offsety slot connected with itslongitudinal slot near that end thereofwhich adjoins said key projectionslot-whereby either of two keys when associated prope'll'able relationwith said studs may be selectively projected partially from saidhousing- 8T against the compression of its associated spring intovoperative position' and held projected'. by movementiof its associatedstud. into said offsetslot and returned' by Y reverse movement anddheldin fully retracted position within the housing by expansion ofitsspring, each' housing member having an inwardly extending ledgeadjoining its key projection slot-for engagement with the side'Y ofafkey shank to hold the latter spaced inwardly slightly from the planeof the associated spring',V each of saidfpifset slots having aportionwith a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of saidflangeswhereby said 4flanges may beAintro-gq duced into said housing throughsaid portion of the offset slots, thefengagement of the'springbetweensaid flanges serving to retain` said flanges within thehousing during normal use of the'- devioe.-

GEORGE E; GROSS: 'V

RFRENCES" CIT'ED The following references are o'f record in'tli iileofthis patent.

NITE' STATS PA"I"E'N"IS"`

